The trend for early evening dining, driven by Generation Z, is reshaping the UK's restaurant scene. Online reservation service OpenTable reports a sharp rise in 6pm bookings, up 11% in London and 6% across the UK compared with the same period last year. Hospitality tech service Zonal confirms that the new national average dining time now stands at 6.12pm.
Chef Joe Laker, co-founder of Counter 71 in Shoreditch, London, has responded by introducing a £50 early evening set menu, a move expected to be followed by other establishments. The benefits are clear: diners can socialise without staying out late, commuters avoid missing last trains, and eating before 8pm is considered healthier.
However, the trend has its critics. Columnist Polly Hudson describes haggling with a friend who prefers 6pm dinners, joking about 'Grandma's Earlybird Special'. She notes that if lunch is at 2pm, hunger at 6pm is unlikely, potentially disrupting meal schedules. 'At this rate, we might have to start setting our alarms for the middle of the night and having breakfast then,' she quips.
Despite such reservations, the early evening trend shows no signs of slowing. As more restaurants cater to Gen Z's preferences, the 6pm dinner could become the new norm, leaving late diners to adapt or be left behind.
